The Typhoo Tea and SlimFast owner has inked a lucrative licensing agreement to produce and distribute the Thai brand’s energy and isotonic drinks across the British market.
Most famous to UK consumers for its sponsorship of the English Football League Cup since 2017, the drinks firm will be looking to drive concerted expansion locally by harnessing Supreme’s manufacturing and logistical capabilities.
According to Supreme’s chief executive Sandy Chadha, the deal marks a significant step in the brand’s expansion and long-term growth strategy.
Carabao’s UK operations will now form part of Supreme PLC’s Drinks & Wellness division, which includes a portfolio of household names such as Typhoo Tea, SlimFast, and Perfectly Clear flavoured water.
Founded in 2002, Carabao has established a solid presence in the British drinks market and is stocked by a number of major retailers, including Morrisons, Asda and Sainsbury’s, with whom Supreme will now deal directly.
“Carabao is a fantastic brand with strong heritage, high consumer awareness and a clear identity in the energy drinks category,” Chadha said.
“This partnership sits firmly within Supreme’s strengths. Our manufacturing capability, innovation expertise and distribution network give us the platform to build on Carabao’s existing presence and drive further growth in the UK market.”
He continued: “We see a real opportunity to expand the brand’s reach, develop new products and ensure that more consumers can find Carabao on shelves across the country.”
Carabao drinks are set to be produced at Supreme’s soft drinks manufacturing facility, with the group also responsible for product innovation and distribution across its national retail network.
Supreme said it operates a “vertically integrated model” spanning product development, manufacturing and distribution, supplying products to tens of thousands of retail outlets across the UK.
“As part of our ongoing strategy to strengthen the Carabao brand in the UK, we are pleased to appoint Supreme Imports Limited as our official distribution partner,” added Romtham Sathientham, managing director of Carabao Group.
“Their strong local expertise and established network make them ideally positioned to support our customers. We remain fully committed to the UK and look forward to this next phase of growth with confidence.”
